Konoha.
Deep underground, tucked away where most people would never think to look, there was a hidden base.
It had once been Orochimaru's private research site.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi called it out using "Danzo Shimura's dirt" as the wedge, Orochimaru had voluntarily handed the facility over to the village.
And somehow, he'd been delighted about it.
Because the moment it was officially "submitted," he was able to apply for research funding in the open, and the approval went through so smoothly it was almost insulting.
So the place was unrecognizable now.
Back then, the base had been a mess. The equipment was incomplete, the lighting kept dim for secrecy, the ventilation never strong enough. The air clung to you, the floors stayed slick, and the whole thing felt less like a lab and more like some underground black market where people traded lives for money.
Orochimaru had hated it.
Just because he was close to "snakes" didn't mean he enjoyed living in a cave.
He was a scientist. What scientist didn't want a lab that was at least sterile and dust-free, fully stocked, properly controlled?
But now?
Now it was different.
His teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was backing him hard, pushing him to develop technology.
Under bright, clean lights, sterilization and dust-removal systems ran constantly at full power. Constant Temperature and Humidity Machines hummed like steady breathing. A High-speed Centrifuge sat there like a monument to budget that didn't flinch. A Microbial Detector. Reactors. A Chromatograph.
Everything he could possibly need was here.
If they could buy it, they bought the best.
If they couldn't buy it, Orochimaru bought the best materials and built it himself. And if he needed someone to modify an instrument with a specific jutsu, he could openly call for help without pretending it was a coincidence.
Orochimaru looked down at the report in his hands, the corner of his mouth lifting before he even realized he was doing it.
A lab at this level was one of a kind in the entire shinobi world.
And they were still expanding it.
He could stay down here all day and never want to go home.
Orochimaru thought he was merely smiling.
But to Shikazan Nara and Torifu Akimichi, it looked nothing like a simple smile.
This kid hadn't just been happy these past two days, he'd been running on a constant high.
Like he'd swallowed a stimulant and decided to live there forever.
Because for Orochimaru, working in an environment like this wasn't labor.
It was pleasure.
And in that moment, he felt even more clearly how comforting it was to have Hiruzen's support behind him.
Having a Hokage at your back, having a powerful hidden village as your foundation, it was… perfect.
"Everyone busy?" Hiruzen asked as he walked into the lab, dressed in a white hooded sterile suit.
"Third-sama!"
"Sensei!"
The greetings came instantly.
Orochimaru's eyes flicked over Hiruzen's outfit, and something eased in his chest.
Sensei respects the work.
When he'd worked with Danzo Shimura in the past, Orochimaru had asked him to follow proper lab protocol too. Danzo had refused every time, always insisting on barging in like he owned the air, like rules were for other people.
After enough of that, Orochimaru had given up.
A good lab had ended up feeling like a slaughterhouse.
"My old brother," Hiruzen said, eyes brightening the second he spotted Torifu, and he strode forward and pulled him into a hug.
Torifu clearly hadn't expected that kind of warmth. His expression froze in surprise.
He'd stepped away from Konoha's upper ranks years ago, but it hadn't been because of injury or age.
It was because of something he'd said.
Back when Tobirama Senju stayed behind to cover their retreat, Torifu had spoken without thinking.
"Bait? Then someone's going to die. Who's going?"
After the Second Hokage died, that sentence never stopped following him.
No matter how much time passed, Torifu couldn't forgive himself for it.
Hiruzen, who had thrown himself forward and fought.
Kagami, who had died.
Danzo, who'd snapped awake too late and forced himself onward.
Homura and Koharu, who'd been calculating routes and odds while the world burned.
Compared to them, Torifu had always felt like he didn't deserve to stand in the same place.
"I heard from Shikazan that you're planning something big," Torifu said, lowering his head slightly. "A major move for the village. Developing medicine to secure funding…"
"I know it's a good thing. I'm not much for the flashy work, but I've studied pharmaceuticals a bit."
His voice turned quieter, almost embarrassed. "I wanted to contribute. And I didn't trust the youngsters in my clan not to mess it up, so I came myself."
Hiruzen's heart tightened.
Shinobi had survived for centuries as tools built for killing, but their feelings burned hot all the same.
Torifu's story made Hiruzen think of another man from their generation.
Kosuke Maruboshi.
He had the strength of a jonin, and his seniority was undeniable, but because of an early mistake that got teammates killed, he'd willingly stayed a genin, charging into war again and again like penance.
With a bit of polishing, that's prime Will of Fire material.
A perfect story for the village to rally around.
The thought flashed through Hiruzen's mind as he gripped Torifu's hand.
"What's done is done," Hiruzen said quietly. "But with you gone, I've always felt like something was missing."
"Out of all of us," he continued, "you were never the best in a straight fight. But when it came to logistics, to managing support, you were always the best."
His grip tightened, firm and sincere. "Now that you're back, don't think about leaving again. Do more for the village."
"And if Tobirama-sama is watching us from wherever he is," Hiruzen added, "he'd want you to do this."
Torifu nodded hard.
For some reason, the words warmed his chest so much it almost hurt.
"You've built this place well, Orochimaru," Hiruzen said as he looked around, one brow lifting. His tone turned teasing. "You even organized the equipment this thoroughly?"
Everyone knew the "health supplement secret medicine" they were developing for nobles didn't actually need half of what was sitting here.
"It's a rare chance, Sensei," Orochimaru said, blinking innocently. "It wasn't easy to get this kind of approval."
Then he smiled, smooth as ever. "Don't worry. Everything here will be used for Konoha's future."
"If you need more funding, or support with jutsu and technique work, write me a report," Hiruzen said, waving it off with easy confidence. "The village is behind you."
"Early development costs money. I understand that."
His voice was almost cheerful. "These investments are necessary. Scientific advancement is the primary driver of productivity. I've always believed that."
Orochimaru rolled the words around in his head, again and again, until his eyes lit up.
That's my teacher.
Make Danzo think for a hundred years and he still wouldn't be able to say something like that. He'd only sit there counting the cost down to the last coin, wanting results without paying anything.
Wanting the ox to grow fat, but refusing to feed it.
Disgusting.
"I'm here to check your progress," Hiruzen said. "How's it going? Do you have a sample?"
"The Administrative Department side is moving too," he added. "Homura and Koharu are already laying the groundwork with the Land of Fire. We'll push from both ends."
"We've got an initial sample," Orochimaru replied, switching into a professional cadence. "We used a Nara clan secret compounding manual as the base, combined it with Tsunade's adjustments, and incorporated some ideas from Uncle Torifu. I also made a few compatibility tweaks."
"First is the fast-acting layer," he said. "After ingestion, it stimulates the body, gives that full-body ease feeling, light limbs, clearer sensation. We paired it with a snake scale extract to calm the mind."
"Second is the long-term layer," Orochimaru continued. "Taken consistently, it targets fatigue in ordinary people and noticeably raises the user's energy."
"And the toad skin oil provided by Mount Myoboku," he added, "makes the effect gentler, more nourishing overall."
Hiruzen nodded, satisfied enough.
The effects he'd ordered were mostly there, at least in a preliminary form.
But when the sample was placed in front of him, he still couldn't help laughing.
It looked almost exactly like Food Pills.
No matter how good the effect was, if it looked like that…
There was no way it was going to sell for a noble's price.
.....
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